The Rochester Rhinos would be 1-1 instead of 0-1-1 if they'd showed up for the first half of last week's 1-1 tie at Dayton.

"If we'd played 90 minutes, I don't think a referee's decision (in stoppage time) comes into play," Rhinos coach Bob Lilley said about a controversial 94th-minute no-call that let Dayton draw even. "I think the game is well in hand."

"Games like those, you have to finish them," Rochester defender Kyle Hoffer said.

Such is the education of these young Rhinos, who'll try to put together two halves at noon Monday against the Chicago Fire Reserves. A win would earn momentum for Sunday's 4:05 p.m. home opener against the Charleston Battery at Sahlen's Stadium.

Lilley will give John McCarthy, a rookie out of LaSalle University, his first professional start in goal, switching from Luis Soffner, the second-year pro on loan from the New England Revolution who started the season-opening 3-1 loss at Orlando and in Dayton. While Lilley did think Soffner, 22, could have done better on the high floater into the box that led to Dayton's goal, he said he'd planned for a couple weeks to give McCarthy the start in Chicago.

Soffner thought he was interfered with by a Dayton player and foul should have been called. While disappointed there wasn't a whistle, Lilley said, "it's a play we have to make. At that stage of the game, it probably should have been a punch (by Soffner) rather than trying to catch it."

Lilley said he was happy with how the 6-foot-4 Soffner responded this week. At 21 years old, McCarthy will become the youngest player to ever start in goal for the Rhinos, who count MLS great Pat Onstad and former stars Scott Vallow and Billy Andracki among their best keepers.

"He's a very hard worker, has great range and is aggressive. He's ready. He's worked hard. He's been patient and now it's his time," said Vallow, the Rhinos' all-time leader in wins and shutouts who is now the team's goalkeepers' coach. "I'm excited to see what he brings."

The 6-foot-3, 180-pound native of Cinnaminson, N.J., McCarthy led the Atlantic 10 in saves and ranked sixth nationally. Two defenders will be making their Rhinos debuts as starters, too. Neither right Babacar Diallo (hip) nor center back Patrick Slogic (knee) made the trip. They started the first two matches and Lilley expects both to be available for the home opener.

Lilley will start Tony Walls, who played for the Fire's PDL squad in 2012, alongside Hoffer at central defense. He'll choose either Onua Thomas Obasi, Jossamir Sanchez or Pat McMahon, who played collegiately at the University of Illinois-Chicago, for Diallo's spot.

This is the second year MLS Reserve teams are playing USL squads and this season the Los Angeles Galaxy became the first MLS club to commit a squad, the L.A. Galaxy II, to compete in USL PRO for the entire season.

"MLS Reserve teams provide an interesting challenge because you never really know what to expect." Lilley said. "Regardless, Chicago has always historically had a good academy and a good professional team, so it should be a strong test for us."